P27KIP1 EXPRESSION, A PROGNOSTIC INDICATOR==BUT WHY?

Sloan-Kettering Institute For Cancer Res, New York NY

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Abstract

The goal of this proposal is to understand why the loss of p27kip1 expression is a strong prognostic indicator for tumor development in many types of human cancer. This proposal examines two alternative hypotheses: First, that the loss of p27 may accelerate cell proliferation making the cell refractory to the negative growth influences of the surrounding cells; or second, that the loss of p27 may eliminate oncogene-induced apoptosis by "desensitizing" the cell to negative growth regulatory signals. In Aim 1, these two models will be examined in the development of pituitary tumors in Rb+/- and Rb+/-;p27-/- mice. Aim 2 will investigate the relationship between p27-deficiency and p53-mdm2-Arf induced apoptosis in the pituitary tumor mouse model, and in human breast and prostate tumor samples. Aim 3 will characterize the growth, apoptosis and transformation properties of mouse embryonic fibroblasts derived from Rb-/-;p27-/- embryos. A 4th Aim is proposed in the supplementary information that is based on the recent finding of Adenocarcinomas in p107+/-;p130-/-;p27-/- mice. This section will extend the analysis of Rb+/-;p27-/- mice to other pocket protein/p27 combinations to determine how loss of p27 modulates their tumor suppressor properties.